1. Field of the Invention
The self-adhesive dressings comprise support material that is stretchable and reboundable in one direction, onto which adhesive masses are applied, in stripe form and/or wave form, crossways relative to the stretching direction, said adhesive masses comprising one or more active substances.
2. Discussion of Background Information
Warming products have for many years played an important role in the treatment of muscular pain. For example, since 1928 there has been the ABC Plaster® with capsaicinoids as active substances. Besides this plaster, there are various other products on the market which use active substances with capsaicinoids or derivatives thereof.
The mode of action of these products is based firstly on the promotion of circulation in the affected areas and secondly on the influence on the metabolism. Thus, for example, capsaicin stimulates the release of substance P, a neuropeptide made of eleven amino acids. This molecule actively intervenes in the pain cycle and contributes to a reduction in perceived pain.
Cellulite (medical term: Dermopanniculosis) is not a disease, but a cosmetic problem.
The causes of cellulite lie primarily in the specific structure of the female skin and the reaction to female hormones. Fat cells are stored in the subcutaneous skin. The amount of these is established as early on as in the infant stage and cannot be influenced by nutrition or sport. In the fat cells, the fatty acids from food are converted to fats and are incorporated in nodular form in connective tissue. If these fats are not broken down over a prolonged period (e.g. sport), and if the body is additionally overnourished, the cells can expand to many times their size. The increased cells then squeeze through the connective tissue, resulting in the dreaded orange peel, also known as cellulite.
Other consequences in old age are spider veins, varicose veins, thromboses and leg ailments. Often, the thighs are also storage for excess fat that is absorbed via the diet. The unsightly, lateral thickenings of the thigh, also called saddlebags, combined with cellulite, is often a great worry for those affected.
An annoying cosmetic phenomenon is marks in the skin following pregnancy, which have a detrimental effect on the aesthetic appearance. So-called stretch marks are also called striae or pregnancy stretch marks. These too are not necessarily a disease, but a purely cosmetic problem.
Skin stretch marks (striae) are cracks in the subcutaneous tissue. They are formed on the stomach, hips or breasts. Striae are firstly bluish-red, later yellowish-white. They have a similar appearance to scars. They are formed when the skin is overstretched and also the ability of the skin to stretch has decreased. A high cortisone level promotes the formation of stretch marks. This hormone allows the skin to retain more water and it reduces the elasticity of the skin.
If the skin becomes stretched as a result of pregnancy or weight gain, small cracks are formed in the elastic tissue. The skin becomes thinner at the points affected and the blood vessels show through with a bluish color. Later, the areas heal and the marks become white. Unfortunately, the marks cannot be expected to disappear. Pregnant women, people in puberty, athletes, people receiving hormone treatment and people with increased body weight are the groups of people predominantly affected by striae.
In pregnancy, the cortisone level in the blood is increased. For many women, stretch marks appear in the belly skin. These are called “striae gravidarum” or pregnancy stretch marks.
If stretch marks are present, to current knowledge, they can no longer be completely reduced. However, a reduction and alleviation up to 50% is possible. It is also the case for laser treatments that they do not have the desired success in most cases.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a dressing which permits a treatment of the areas of skin affected by striae and cellulite and brings about a cosmetic improvement in these skin areas.
DE 10056009 A1 discloses matrix plasters containing active substance for the controlled release of hyperemic active substances.
DE 19650471 A1 describes plasters containing active substance with a support material and a hot-melt adhesive mass applied thereto which comprises at least one hyperemic active substance. The adhesive mass can be applied over the whole area or to parts, the latter in order to improve the air and water vapor permeability. The document is silent regarding stretchability, kinesio or special adhesive mass coatings.
DE 19749467 A1 describes plasters containing active substance with a support material and a hot-melt adhesive mass applied thereto which comprises at least one active substance, where the adhesive mass is foamed.
It is also mentioned that no displacement of dressings results on account of the foamed adhesive mass.
DE 19804604 A1 discloses devices for releasing substances, where the devices comprises an adhesive mass with SEPS (styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene) block copolymers. The document is silent regarding stretchability, kinesio or special adhesive mass coatings.
DE 19804774 A1 discloses support materials for medical purposes, where the support material comprises a nonwoven fabric oversewn by means of sewing threads and having a maximum tensile strength of at least 10 N/cm. The adhesive mass applied to the support can include active substances. The support material generates a compressive force of 0.2 to 10 N/cm at an elongation of 20 to 70%.
DE 19825499 A1 discloses plasters containing active substance, where the adhesive mass is applied in the form of spun fibers or threads, also in random form.
DE 10012582 A1 describes a method for applying adhesive mass to support materials, where the application takes place in wave form in the direction of the longitudinal direction of the support.
Besides the classic pain preparations, active-substance-free treatment methods such as, for example, kinesio, have become established in recent years.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,861,348 describes and claims kinesio therapy for the first time. Of importance and the basis here is the wave-like application of an adhesive mass without active substance influence.
Here, the treatment effect is primarily based on a mechanical effect. The skin area to be treated is subjected to a certain pretensioning and then stuck with a stripe of the elastic kinesio tape. If the skin of the treated area now relaxes, the tape makes folds which are oriented crossways to the direction of travel of the tape. As a result of the combination of these folds with the normal movements of the skin, a constant stimulatory effect is exerted on the area in question, and this has a positive influence on muscle tension and/or pain.
The adhesion of the tape to the skin and the mechanical displacement triggered as a result during performed body movements results in a stimulation of the mechanoreceptors in the skin. This results in pain suppression at a direct spinal level. The prior art relating to kinesio points to no adhesives of any kind or similar substances which can trigger intolerances or allergies in many cases being present in the tape used.
Similarly, there are no kinds of active substances (drugs) in the support materials and adhesive masses and thus adversely affect neither medicamentous nor homeopathic treatments carried out in parallel.
For example, a kinesio tape is known under the brand ChiroTape®. Herein, wave-like raising of the skin lead to a pressure reduction in the tissue as a result of an increase in space between skin and musculature. This in turn results in regulation of the lymph and blood circulation.
Kinesio is to be differentiated from pure “taping”.
WO 2006/018 340 A2 describes tapes containing active substance for the treatment of joint diseases.
“Taping” is another term for “functional dressing technology”. This term describes dressings which help, as a result of partial immobilization of joints, to perform desired movements and to avoid other (painful) movements. The term is derived from the American term “tape” for dressing plasters.
Taping on the one hand aims to imitate the capsular ligament structures and, in doing so, achieve a selective support and stabilization, and on the other hand to also attain a promoting effect on the healing process by tape dressings constantly leading to tensile and pressure loadings of superficial and deeper muscle areas. This increases tension and circulation in these muscle areas; the rate of healing is increased, and muscle loss is avoided. The muscle pump can furthermore provide for the removal of metabolic products through veins and lymph vessels. In the joints, the cartilage is restored to its function as a result of the furthermore possible stressing and destressing.
Taping is nowadays a care method for the prophylaxis and treatment of injuries, diseases and changes to the locomotor apparatus that has proven successful for many years and been documented by numerous investigations. It assists, protects and deburdens a functional unit, but is not a substitute for total immobilization, but is rather indicated by a targeted immobilization only of the injured structure for all injuries or changes that do not require complete immobilization.
The actual tape dressing here is applied in stripes of preferably inelastic self-adhesive bands, so-called reins, or in connection with self-adhesive bands with a short elasticity of extension. It protects, supports and relieves vulnerable, damaged or defective parts of a functional unit. It permits selective strain in the pain-free sphere of movement, but prevents extreme or painful movements.
The application of such dressings requires expert skill and experience and can therefore not usually be carried out by lay persons without taping experience.
Taping is completely different to kinesio therapy from the underlying physiological orientation and mode of action. In contrast to this, in kinesio, no type of immobilization is exercised; complete mobility of the taped area is entirely retained in the case of the kinesio therapy.
What the two therapy forms do have in common, though, is that they dispense with active substances.
Nevertheless, it is desirable to combine kinesio with the advantages of an active substance treatment.
Furthermore, it is desirable in particular to combine heat treatment with kinesio so as to increase the effect of the constant stimulatory effect on the skin.